Uyi Smoot
Owner of Barrow in McKinney, Texas
Uyi Smoot is betting that neighbors still want to help each other out. "Remember when borrowing something from a neighbor was the most natural thing in the world?" she asks. Barrow is her answer. The peer-to-peer rental marketplace lets people lend and borrow tools, gear, and outdoor equipment from verified neighbors nearby, saving money, reducing waste, and bringing people on the same block a little closer together.
A $53,275 Small Business Administration (SBA) Community Advantage loan from DreamSpring covered equipment, working capital, and marketing as Uyi launched Barrow and grew her founding community of lenders and borrowers in the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth area. Backed by a government guarantee, the SBA Community Advantage loan allowed DreamSpring to extend more capital than Uyi would have qualified for under traditional financing terms — a perfect fit for a startup business that helps neighbors lend a hand.